Bottling homemade sauces can be a lot of fun however it is important to know the proper way to bottle them in order to prevent botulism. The follow these simple instructions in order to assure your sauces will get the maximum shelf life.
Step 1
Sanitation is essential to the bottling process for any food. Please see these resources for detailed directions on sanitizing glass jars or bottles (links also in resources section below).
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Step 2
High acid foods such as fruits and hot sauces are much easier to jar than low acid foods. This is because acid kills bacteria that cause botulism so it is not necessary to kill all of that bacteria prior to canning. If your food has a pH of 4.6 or below, there is enough acid to use this method.
• Sanitize jars or bottles as normal. • Fill the jars or bottles. Leave as little head space as possible, however make sure that the sauce does not touch the brim of the jar or bottle. • Seal the jars tightly with the lids. • Place the jars or bottles at least two inches apart in a pot of 220 degree Fahrenheit boiling water for approximately ten minutes. The water should cover the bottles or jars by at least one inch. • Carefully remove the bottles or jars from the water and allow them to cool.
Step 3
Low Acid foods are a little more complicated because you do not have the benefit of the acid working as a natural preservative. For these you will need a pressure cooker. They make special ones especially for this purpose.
• Sanitize jars or bottles as normal. • Fill the jars or bottles. Leave as little head space as possible, however make sure that the sauce does not touch the brim of the jar or bottle. • Seal the jars tightly with the lids. • Place the jars or bottles at least two inches apart in a pressure cooker containing 2 or 3 inches of water. Follow manufacturer specifications for the pressure cooker. Bring the temperature up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain for approximately ten minutes. • Release the pressure from the pressure cooker according to the manufacturer specifications. • Carefully remove the bottles or jars from the water and allow them to cool.
Tip
Depending on the altitude, you may have to boil the jars longer or at a higher temperature.
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